I'm not too familiar with the inner workings of carbs just yet. Any other motor part, I have a good grasp on and can handle.

But here's my carb with the flame arrestor off:



The past few days the boat has been giving me some trouble starting, even after it was just ran and engine is warm. It tries to crank, but just doesn't catch. I pump the throttle and keep it all the way WOT for it to start, and just bring the RPMs down right away once it does start.

So it got me looking at my carb. I see different vacuum/diaphragm looking things that open and close these plates and thought maybe there is an issue.

So, long story short, in the pic above, is that how it should be or is something not working properly?

Thanks,

The one that is open is for the choke. I have mine set wide open all the time just like yours.

Sounds like the the carb is dripping fuel from the welsh type plug. This drains the carb making a cold start hard as the carb needs to get fuel first to fire. It makes hot start hard as it floods the engine once you shut it off, hence the reason you need to hold the throttle wide open.

This is a common problem with Q-jets

Agree with above:

Since you are interested, buy a book "How to rebuild your Rochester Quadrajet," put it in the front of the books you have stashed in the bathroom (man's library) and read it...then reread it...then reread it...on and on and on.

If nothing else, you will have a great learning experience.

And, yes, you can learn a ton while sitting in the john.

Im sitting on the john right now . Thats a unmolested early qjet set up there for sure . The fuel pump ddibble line isnt even rotted and falling off.
Epoxy the well plugs and bring it up to corn gas standards and should be fine
(New float, keep fuel lines cool and maybe take the float level down a notch if your in warmer climate)

Is that a marine carb?

I spent years of my youth playing with Q-Jets. Bought a Quickfuel and I've been super happy with it.

Airjunky

This is OSO -- you should be sitting in the HEAD never the Toilet!!

hope everything worked out!

3pointstar

That's a marine carb, hence the barb just left of center for the mechanical fuel pump.

Another issue that can be happening is a fuel pump bladder/ valve that's bleeding off pressure after it sits.

It looks as though some reading is a head of me.

I deal with throttle bodies on cars mostly, never a carb, so Im still a novice on that.

If there's the smell of fuel in the crankcase, that could be your problem. Also, if that carb is an unmolested original, I'd rebuild it. You'd be amazed at how much crud is in a marine fuel tank.